Ferris wheel



Nov. 14, 1933. w HASKELL 1,935,558

FERRIS WHEEL Filed May 5, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. WhL/AM H4sxsu. BY

A T TORN E Y5.

Nov. 14, 1933. w E, HASKELL 1,935,558

FERRIS WHEEL 7 Filed May 5, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

W/LL/AM EHASKELL BY 2 M A TTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 14, 1933 I j Y 7 1,935,553: rsaais WHEEL Q Wiliiarn E. Haskell, Springfield; Mass; Application May 5, 1931. Serial N 535 1 H V 4; Claims. 01.2 4

This invention relates to Ferris wheels and proper position lengthwise of the shafts by-'col more particularly to Ferris wheels for use on chillars 29. H i drens playgrounds. As shown in the drawings, each chair is pro- One objectoi my invention is tcfprovide an vided with a drive, shaft 30, but it will beunder- 5 improved structure of this type which is better stood that ,the device maybe driven from one adapted for operation by children than Ferris or more chairs as may be desired" Shafts 30"are wheels of prior con rac ion. A'further object is bent intermediate their ends, as best" shown in to decrease the he ht of they structure. Other Fig.1, and are journaled in bearingsBicarried and furtherobjects'will be apparent from the folby] the arms, of the chairs. The outer ends of lowing specification and claims. shafts 30 are provided with sprockets 33 which 6 In the accompanying drawings which illusare connectedby sprocket chains 34 to their retrate one embodiment of the invention: spective associated sprockets 17. Shafts 30 arei is'a front elevation; hinged adjacent their outer bearings as at 35, Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking from the right while the inner bearing is provided with a reof Fig. i; movable cap 38 so-that the shaft, may be raised Fig. 3 is detail sectionalpian view, on a larger as shown'in dotted lines in Fig. 1 to permit a scale, of thelocking mechanism; and child to enter the chair. The hinged portion of i is a vertical sectional View of the structhe shafts '30- may be extended, as shown in ture of Fig. -howing the parts in locked position. Figs. 3 and i, to form a key 36 adapted when Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the base shafts are in raised position to engage in slots of the device, the base being formed of cross 3''! formed in the associated bearing 31 to lock pieces 2 which support a central standard 3. the drive. Preferably the shaft passes through Standard 3 maybe of any suitable construction the forward hanger member of each chair-so and, as shown, is formed of corner posts 5 trussed that the Chai s 3 u dj t e att m m- 25 together by cross pieces 6. A transverse shaft 8 is bers permitting the chairs to be guarded by ensupported in bearings 9 secured in the stan closure in casings 39 which may be secured to ard 3, and is provided at. each end with two said members. i

diametrically extending armslO rigidly secured Sprocket wheels 40 are rigidly fixed to the to the shaft, the arms on'opposite' sides of standsides of standard 1, concentric with shaft-8, as by 30 ard'3 being at right angles to each other. The bolts 41', and are connected with sprockets" 16 by free end of each arm isprovided with an outchains 42. i

wardly extending hollow shaft 12 rigidly fixed As will be clear from theabove description and. to the arm.- Each hollow shaft 12 may be prodrawings, rotation of one or more of the shafts vided adjacent each end with internal ball bear- 30 will, through chains 34 and sprockets 17, reings of conventional type (not shown) in which tate the associated shafts 14, causing chains 42, shafts i l turn, The shafts 14 extend beyonc driven by sprockets 16 to travel around fixed the ends of hollow shafts 12 and to their inner sprockets 40, thus rotating the arms 10.

and outer ends are fixed sprockets 16 and 17 Due to the arrangement of the chairs on cantirespectivelylever shafts 12 extending outwardly from-arms g 49 The space between opposite pairs of shafts 10, the chairs may pass the axis of rotation of 12 is just sufficient to permit clearance between the arms 10 with the result thatthe chairs in their them of chairs 20, and the distance between the rotation need rise no higher than is necessary to shafts 12, when intheir lowermost position, and clear each other and the child inthe upper chair the base 1 is also just sufiicient to permit clearonly arelativeiy few feet from the ground. The 5 ance of the chairs, this arrangement having arrangement of the arms 10 on opposite sides of particular advantages in decreasing the necesthe standardat'right angles to each other keeps sary height of the apparatus as will later be the weight uniformly distributed resulting in a more specifically pointed out. I smooth balanced rotation of the device. Further- The chairs, as shown, are formed of side irons more, since the center of gravity of the device is 12 bent to chair form, to which are bolted or substantially lower than with prior constructions, 5 otherwise secured arms 22, slatted back sections the tendency to overturning is less and no elab- 23, similar seat sections 24, and foot rests 25. crate or extended anchoring means is necessary, The chairs are suspended from shafts 12 by hangresulting in a compact and easily movable strucer members 27 pivotally attached on the shafts ture and one which takes up a relatively small as by strap irons 28,. the chairs being kept in ground area. The simplicity and compactness of construction afforded by my novel arrangement of the parts renders the device suitable for use in private play yards as well as on public playgrounds.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. For example, the chain and sprocket drive may be replaced by any other suitable type of drive, and numerous forms of carriages may be substituted for the chairs or the chairs and positive drive may be omitted and the device operated by the children grasping the cantilever shafts 12 in their hands and leaping upward, to relieve their weight, on

the upward portion of the movement of the arms,

10. It will therefore be understood that I do not limit myself to the detailed structure shown.

- What I claim is:

1. A Ferris wheel which comprises a support, a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted in said support, diametrically extending arms secured to said shaft for rotation in a vertical plane, cantilever shafts extending from the ends of said arms, and carriages pivotallysuspended from said cantilever shafts to. swing across the axis of rotation of the arms, the space. between said shafts being'just the arms on one end of the shaft being positioned at right angles to. those on the other end, and cantilever shafts extending outwardly from each of said arms.

3. A Ferris wheel which comprises a vertical support, a horizontal shaft journaled adjacent the upper end of the support, a pair of diametrically extending arms secured to each end of said shaft, the arms on one end of the shaft being positioned at right angles to those on the other end, cantilever shafts extending outwardly from each of said arms, and carriages pivotally suspended from said shafts.

4. A Ferris wheel which comprises a vertical support, a horizontal shaft journaled adjacent the upper end ofthe support, diametrically extending arms secured to the ends of said shaft, the arms on one end of the shaft being'positioned at right angles to those on the other end, cantilever shafts extending outwardly from said arms, at least one of said shafts being hollow, carriages pivotally suspended from said shafts, a sprocket non-rotat ably fixed to the vertical support concentric with said hcrizontal shaft, a driven shaft passing through and rotatably' mounted in said hollow shaft, sprockets respectively secured to the inner and outer ends of said driven shaft, a sprocket chain connecting the inner sprocket on said driven shaft with said non-rotatable sprocket, a crank shaft carried by the chair suspended from the hollow shaft, a sprocket on said crank shaft and a chain connecting said last named sprocket with the outer sprocket on said driven shaft.

WILLIAM E. HASKELL. 

